Other Side of the World:
by SmellyCat2004
Summary: Even when you feel like the world around you is being turned upside down, you wait for something to get better. And when the worst happens, you deal with it. Because no matter what, life goes on.
1. Waiting to Change

Other Side of the World:.

Disclaimer:. Shonda Rhimes is my God.

Summary:. Even when you feel like the world around you is being turned upside down, you wait for something to get better. You pray that you'll be granted a second chance, or the ability to turn back time. And when the worst happens, you deal with it. Because no matter what, life goes on.

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It has been two weeks since the prom incident. Izzie is still moping around the house, spending most of the time locked inside of her bedroom. George is busy looking for the key that will open Izzie's door... and he's still with Callie. Alex is being very "non-Alexish". He has been visiting Meredith's house more often in hopes of getting Izzie to come about. Cristina is still trying to be her selfish, hardcore self, but is failing miserably. Right now, Burke seems to be the highlight of her life. Derek is leaving for Manhattan, along with Addison. Apparently, he was upset when Meredith walked away, choosing neither himself, nor Finn. And Meredith has lost almost every ounce of faith that she had left.

"You're wasting your time," Alex mumbled from the couch.

"And you're not? I'd like to hear what you've accomplished this week," George fumed, while he continued to walk about, carrying a small ladder under his arm.

"Believe me, Georgie-Boy, **_you're not going to find anything_**."

He sighed, "What makes you think that?"

"Well, maybe because during the past few days, you've checked the top of every door frame at least fifteen times, the fan, countless cupboards in the kitchen, under the rugs, under the tables, inside the _mailbox_, in your room, in Meredith's room, inside every book, every corner... please, tell me if I forgot to mention another place," Alex smirked, as he flipped through the various television channels.

"Every _lock_ has a _key_, Alex. Jeez, I thought you would have known that," George muttered, struggling to compose the ladder.

"Yea, well not every**_ key _**is lying around waiting to be found by some dim-witted imbasul like yourself, George."

"Whatever, love you too, Alex."

Alex laughed, "Love isn't the issue here, it never was," he paused. "Look, I know you're worried about Izzie, but believe me, I'm sure that all of your clattering and banging around isn't helping. Just... wait it out and see what happens. She'll come around eventually."

"Is that your answer for everything?"

Alex thought for a moment, "Yea, pretty much."

Fuming, George dropped the ladder with a clang, "Fine. If you think that she's just going to waltz out on her own, _you_ can sit on your ass and wait for her. Meanwhile, _I'm_ going to hospital."

Alex paused, "Why? You're off today?"

George grabbed his keys, "I just need to think, okay?"

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Bailey meandered down the hallways of Seattle Grace Hospital. She was on the hunt. There was one intern on her mind, and she wasn't going to rest until she found her.

As she turned the corner, she ran smack into a tuft of tangled blonde hair, "Jesus!"

"Oh, ummm... I'm sorry," Meredith stuttered, her voice cracking, before turning to walk away.

"Ah, hah! Finally caught my prey..." Bailey snickered.

Meredith looked confused, "Excuse me?"

She nervously waited as Bailey surveyed her up and down, from her drowsy eyes down to her wobbling legs.

"Listen, Grey. You look like a train wreck. You've already passed the 60 hour work limit; you're lucky I didn't stop you earlier," she stated.

"I'm sorry, I thought that..." Meredith started.

"Did you hear me? Are ya deaf, woman? I said, **get out now**! Do yourself a favor, for once in your life," Bailey screamed barely two inches from Meredith's face.

"But, what am I going to..." Meredith stammered.

"Do?" Bailey finished. "You're going to haul your work-heavy ass out of this hospital, go home, take a shower, eat some food, and **_relax_**."

Meredith shrugged, giving in, "Okay, I'm going, I'm going."

As soon as Meredith had slumped away in the direction of the locker room, where Cristina was motioning for her, another voice popped in,"Good day, Dr. Bailey."

"Pardon?"

"Just saying 'hello'," Derek smiled, continuing on his way.

But Bailey forcefully reached out and grabbed his left arm, guiding him back to her, "You listen here, **_Dr. Sheppard_**. _You_ do not talk to _me_."

"Okay, I thought that colleagues..." he began.

"Oh, no. Don't give me your "I thought that colleagues" crap. You lost the right to talk to me the _moment_ you looked at my intern. You sank even lower when you lied to her and caused her to collapse in front of everyone. And now, just look at what you've done. I swear, if it wasn't for your position, I would seriously slap you in the middle of this hallway for _everyone to see_."

He frowned, "Well, I guess you've made yourself clear."

"And by the way, you're **_not_** my colleague anymore. From what I've heard, you leave tomorrow night for New York."

"Right you are."

"Well, I hope you feel guilty."

"For what?"

"You _know _what."

He tentativly reached out his hand, "Nice working with you Dr. Bailey."

Surprisingly, she joined him and they shook.

"The pleasure's all mine."

With that he went on his way, calling over his shoulder, "Have fun being the Nazi!"

"You think I'm a Nazi? You haven't seen **half** of what I can do!" she shouted after Derek's retreating form.

"Screwin' up my interns left and right, ruinin' lives... for god's sake, I should take away his medical license," Bailey muttered under her breath as she turned the corner, and got back to work.

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George sat on the bench, clutching his head in his hands. The worst things _always_ seemed to happen to him. _Always_. Love was his enemy. Heck, life was his enemy. Everything was his enemy. He had no friends.

_Stop feeling sorry for yourself, _George thought to himself. _You've got a great group of friends: Izzie, Cristina, Alex... Meredith. Okay, so maybe one of them treats you like a little brother, and the other one, well, you're not sure if she even likes you that much, considering she laughs at you on a regular basis and bosses you around, same pretty much goes for the other guy, expect multiply that by like, a million, and then the last one barely notices you exist. And when she **does**, you have to swoop in with some lousy, pathetically lame comment which drives her back to ignoring you, because no matter how much you try to tell yourself that she's just your **friend**, you can't stop **loving her**. And now there's Callie, and she actually **does** care about you, and notices you, but you're still too caught up in Meredith's life to realize it. But, when you do realize that she loves you, you remember that even though you so desperately want to be with her, Meredith is always going to have your heart, and the sad thing is, she doesn't even **want it**._

"Life sucks," George spat to no one imparticular.

"I know," a quiet voice agreed.

He whipped around like he'd seen a ghost, "Meredith? What's wrong?"

"Life."

"Yea, it... sucks," he mumbled.

"It does," she replied, leaning her head on his shoulder.

They remained that way for a while, until George asked, "Why does it suck?

Silence.

He chuckled, "Stupid question. McDreamy's at it again, isn't he? He's bothering you again, _isn't he_?"

She slowly raised her head, "More like he's doing nothing at all."

"What-what do you mean? Isn't he in love with you and everything," George said, annoyance lining his every word.

"He's gone. Out of the picture. Done. Never coming back..."

"Mind if I ask where he's going?"

"New York," she stated.

Surprised, George muttered, "Really, I-I just kind of thought that..."

"No, he doesn't care George. He obviously wants nothing to do with me."

"Isn't that, ummm, kind of a **good** thing? Considering that you want to move on and everything?" George struggled.

Meredith sighed, lowering her head to her hands, "Well, Finn's gone, you know that. And, even though I just want to move on with my life, and get over him, I can't seem to do it. I need him to be there, with me, every step of the way... I mean, if he just knew what I've been going through, if he actually **cared**, like he seemed to about two weeks ago... Seriously, why does life have to throw you all of these frickin' hoops. I'm just _sick _of it. One minute it's Bailey, the next it's just... LIFE. What do I look like, a dolphin? I'm sick of these hoops..." she cried. "I'm just sick of them."

Her whole body began to tremble as she pulled her knees to her chest and clung to them for dear life. George couldn't stand it. Sure, she may have made some mistakes in the past... okay, **_a lot_** of mistakes, but she shouldn't have to pay this severely. Meredith was a smart girl, she understood that she had been wrong before. It pained him to see the world crashing around her.

He snaked his arm around her shoulders, and reeled her towards his side.

"You know, Meredith. I may not be McDreamy. I may not be dreamy at all. And, well... I know that I'm not always the best in bad situations and all, but... well, you can always count on me. I'll be there, I promise," George whispered.

"Thanks, George. But, I'm not sure if you're up for this..."

"Umm, what?"

She hurriedly collected herself and rose, "Oh, nothing. Just life, and it's little problems."

And with that, she headed for her Jeep, George trailing, slightly confused, behind her.

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"Is that you, Derek?" Addison called when she heard the creak of the screen door.

"No, I'm just some random man who stumbled into the forest, saw this trailer, and decided to stop by," he quipped.

She laughed sarcastically, "Funny. So, are you packed and ready to go?"

Derek looked puzzled when he saw her standing before him, suitcase in hand.

"Umm, almost. But, we still have a whole day to clean up and everything..." he stopped when he saw a look cross her face. "**Addison**, we still have time, **right**?"

Her eyes cast downward, "Well, our plans kind of changed."

In one swift motion, he whipped off his jacket and threw it onto the couch, along with his briefcase.

"And when you say _changed_, you mean... what exactly?" he questioned, curiously.

"Our flight leaves tonight, at 10:30."

There. It was out. Finally.

"Excuse me?" Derek started.

Addison gave a deep sigh, "Derek, I just thought that it would be easier to leave tonight. I mean, everything's ready, and we won't have to face everyone at work tomorrow. You know that they're just going to be all sappy and emotional. We don't need that, do we?"

He stuttered, "Well, I mean, I guess not. But, why...?"

"It's not like you have any goodbyes left or anything, _right_?"

She searched his face for any sign of emotion as he responded carefully, "No. I guess not."

Smiling, she embraced him in a grizzly hug, whispering in his ear, "So, are you finally ready to start over?"

He forced his mouth into a small grin, "Of course, nothing's holding us back now."

"Right."

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Izzie groaned as the phone rang, jingling around on the receiver. _Isn't Alex going to try to pick it up? Lazy ass..._

"Alex, get the damn phone!" she shouted from inside of her bedroom.

"Get it yourself, Stevens! You haven't had any human interaction, let alone a decent conversation, for days. It'll be worth your while," he smirked from the other side.

"_Ass_..." she muttered under her breath, before gripping the side of her bed and struggling to reach for the phone.

"Hello?"

There was silence.

"Is Meredith there?"

_What the hell is he doing, calling here? God, he is the last person on **earth** that I want to talk to..._

"No, bye."

"Wait!" he begged.

"Fine, what?"

He tried to cut corners, "Umm, are you okay? I mean, haven't seen you around the..."

"Shut up! What do you want?"

Long exhale.

"Is Meredith there?"

She contemplated, "Why?"

"I- I need to say goodbye."

She looked smug, "Oh, _that's right_... you're leaving for New York, right? Have fun with that. Anyway, you can tell her tomorrow."

"No, I can't."

"Well, I'm sorry, but she's not home yet."

He began to speak, though she cut him off, "And I don't know when she will be, either."

"Damnit. I thought that..."

"Wait, I thought you were leaving tomorrow or something?" Izzie asked.

His voice crackled, "Yea, things change."

"I guess I could tell her you said 'goodbye'," Izzie offered, her tone softening.

"That- that's really okay," he finished.

"Well, bye."

"Uh huh."

She could have sworn she heard a muffled sob escape him before the phone clicked.

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"Guess who's home!" George exclaimed, as he entered the house, with Meredith and Callie behind him.

"Oh, Bambi's here! And he brought his little forest friends! What a surprise," Alex laughed.

Meredith immediately went into the kitchen in search of food, while George and Callie gathered in the living room with Alex.

"So, Grey finally left Grace. Jeez, I was afraid she was going to start living there or something," Alex said.

"Hello?" Callie responded, obviously hurt.

"Kidding."

Suddenly, they heard a cry from Izzie's bedroom, "Someone called!"

"And she speaks!" Alex snickered.

"_Okay_," Callie said.

"For Meredith," Izzie continued.

Meredith's head popped out from the kitchen, "Who?"

"Someone," Izzie responded.

"Thanks for the help, Iz," George laughed.

"It's him. He's leaving. Tonight."

"Izzie, what are you talking about?" Meredith asked tentatively.

Without warning, the bedroom door flung open, "**Derek is leaving for New York tonight! Plans changed, things happened. He wanted to tell you goodbye.**"

Everyone sat in complete silence. Finally, Meredith stammered, "He's lea-leaving? To-tonight?"

"Yes."

"How did... when did... why?"

"I don't know, Meredith. That's all he said."

She started hyperventilating, "Why did... how did... how come... **_I don't understand_**."

Alex jumped up, helping her to stand, "Meredith, calm down."

Everyone joined, as she fought the urge to sink lower into the ground.

"I need to go- go to the air- airport," Meredith cried.

"Meredith, are you sure?" George spoke softly.

"**Yes!**" she screamed.

"This, this doesn't seem right. Meredith, what's going on?" Alex questioned, worried.

"Nothing, just get me to the damn airport!"

"Meredith..." Callie began.

"**_Someone get her to the frickin' airport, NOW!_**" Izzie belted out at the top of her lungs.

In a hurry, George ushered a startled Meredith to the car with Alex's help.

"Callie, stay here. You might not want to join us," George ordered.

"Yea, I think I'll be fine here," she replied.

As soon as they were out the door, Callie turned to Izzie, "You know something."

Izzie nervously brushed a stray piece of hair behind her, "What are you talking about?"

She shrugged, "I could tell; you understood why she was so... frantic."

"I found something."

Callie leaned closer, "What? What are you talking about?"

Izzie's eyes penetrated through hers, "Listen to me, Callie. _I found something_..."

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	2. Can You Help Me?

Other Side of the World:.

Disclaimer:. Shonda Rhimes is my God.

Summary:. Even when you feel like the world around you is being turned upside down, you wait for something to get better. You pray that you'll be granted a second chance, or the ability to turn back time. And when the worst happens, you deal with it. Because no matter what, life goes on.

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The midnight sky unleashed its wrath on Seattle, letting the wind roar as it struck the sides of towering buildings. Destructive downpours materialized out of practically nowhere, coming at random intervals. The atmosphere howled as it crashed against the frames of cars that seemed to be racing against time. One of these cars happened to contain a hysterical girl, disoriented man, and a reckless driver. What an outstanding combination...

While the streets of Seattle were overflowing due to the mass amount of traffic, also combined with the drenching rain, a cellular phone began frantically ringing inside of Cristina and Burke's apartment. It continued to sound for the next thirty seconds or so, and then a recording came on, with a woman's voice stating some information.

Then there was a 'beep'.

Someone on the other line was breathing heavily, their throat croaking with every hushed tone.

"Cristina," a voice recited. "It's me... George. I-I need you to call me as soon as you get this. As- as soon as possible."

There were muffled sounds of crying in the background, and the awful vibration from an evidently bumpy car ride rattled into the speaker as well.

"Cristina, please call. I-I'm not sure what's really going on. Something's wrong wi-with Meredith," he announced, then spoke in a hushed whisper to someone else. "Maybe you know... because I don't. And things, they aren't _right_.

"Which airport!" someone shrieked from far away.

"I need to go," George finished.

There, in the desolate bedroom, the phone beeped again, and the screen read in small, digital letters:

**ONE NEW MESS.**

**George**

**9:57 p.m.**

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Surrounded by hundreds of other bustling people, Derek and Addison shoved their way through Seattle Tacoma International Airport, attempting to find their flight. Once they finally approached their boarding area, both of their weighted bodies collapsed onto a bench, suitcases plummeting to the ground.

"How much time do we have?" Addison asked, turning to Derek's hunched physique.

"I don't know."

"Check your watch," she ordered, agitated.

"Check the clock."

She groaned, "God, Derek! What is with you tonight? I know you're probably tired from work, and maybe a little stressed about the move, but let's try and act civil here."

"Stop complaining, at least I'm coming," he sulked.

"Fine. I'm going to go to the restroom, and then I'm grabbing a latte. Be back soon, **_honey_**," she reported, stressing the last word.

"Go ahead. I'll just wait... here."

"Where else would you go?" she smiled, before dipping over his head and whispering, "Just try to make the best of this. For me."

"Sure," he replied, with as much enthusiasm as he could muster.

_It's always for her_, he thought, watching her overly dramatic hips sway towards the restroom.

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Callie's mouth hung open as she sat across from Izzie.

"Crazy... that's just so, unreal," she managed to choke out.

Izzie sighed, "Yea. Life's a bitch, huh?"

They sat there, glancing at their nails, twirling their hair, until Izzie spoke,

"But, I mean... the vet's a nice guy, right? Has Meredith told you about him? I think his name's, ummm... Finn or something."

Callie looked bewildered, "Yea, but I guess you won't be seeing any more of him. Poor guy."

"I doubt it, he seems pretty considerate to me..."

"But, what about Derek?"

"What **_about_** Derek?"

They examined each other for a few seconds, eyes piercing, until they both declared,

"_What are you talking about?_"

Callie answered first, "Derek and Meredith's little shenanigan in the exam room... don't you remember? It was only two or three weeks ago. At prom..."

"Uhh, what?"

"Are you kidding? You mean, _she didn't tell you about it_?" Callie said, mostly to herself.

"You mean, she told **_you_**?"

Callie paused, "I don't think she told anyone..."

"Then how did you..."

"Long story short, I walked in on them. They were kind of finishing up."

"Ohh..." Izzie breathed.

"Yea, you were busy with Denny and everyth.." she suddenly caught herself. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..."

"No, really. It's fine," Izzie reassured her. "So, you're saying that..."

"Derek," Callie divulged.

"Oh my god, now I understand..."

"Why she was freaking out," Callie finished. "Yea, it makes sense. But, didn't she know that he was leaving for a while now. How come she just..."

"Snapped?" Izzie answered. "Something tells me that Meredith hadn't really come to terms with the fact that he was moving. She tends to do that sometimes... put her problems aside and try to forget about them."

"I noticed, after all of this."

"Yea."

There was an awkward silence, "So, I guess we get along better than I thought we did."

"Yea, strange, huh?" Izzie remarked.

"Not so much," Callie responded. "I'm still trying to get a grip on this whole situation."

Izzie gazed at the window, "Yea, me too."

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The joyous couple paraded into the bedroom, Cristina carrying her shoes in hand, and Burke with his suit jacket. After depositing her Jimmy Choos into the open closet, Cristina continued towards the dresser, where she quickly began removing her makeup. It wasn't until she had finished that she noticed the blinking, red light on her cell phone.

"Hey, George called," she announced.

Burke looked up from the chair where he was untying his shoes, "Great. Haven't heard from him in a while."

She gave a small smile as she began to listen to his message. After a few seconds had passed, though, an anxious look dawned on her previously glowing face, and her eyebrows crunched into pure shock.

Without hearing the rest of George's ramblings, Cristina clicked the phone shut and stared directly across the room at Burke. He immediately sensed that something was astray.

Standing up, he pursued, "What's going on? That look says a thousand words..."

"We're leaving, now," she stammered, quickly turning away and stepping into a pair of slides.

"Okay, but where are we going? What did George say?"

"He didn't say much, but his tone clearly meant that his panic level was on 'high'. We need to get to Meredith's, because as of now, I have no idea where they are," she explained quickly, grabbing a jacket and guiding him out the door.

"_They_?"

"Meredith is most definitely freaking out, and George was acting like... I don't know, **_George_**. He was completely clueless."

"What's going on with Meredith; has she mentioned anything to you? You must know, you're her closest friend," Burke questioned.

Cristina paused, "In fact, I know nothing at all."

After they hopped into the car, and began the drive to Meredith's house, Cristina listened to the message once again. Closely, she let the cluttered background noises fill her ears.

"Damn," she spoke.

"What?" Burke asked peering away from the road.

"Why in hell would they be going to an airport?"

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The reckless trio scrambled through the crowded airport, Alex and George leading with Meredith struggling in their grasp. They looked like the Three Musketeers. Except anxious, disarranged, and without the cheesy, eighteenth century attire.

"Coming through, **coming through**!" George commanded, hoping to part the mass of people. "We are losing precious time!"

Alex grumbled, "Yea, what time is it again?"

George halted in the middle of the airport, "Hang on, lemme check..."

"Forget I asked," Alex said, grabbing Meredith's arm once again and pulling her forward.

They continued like this for the next few minutes. Bystanders were watching with looks of complete awe on their faces, others were diving out of their way to avoid being trampled.

"Meredith, start looking for the New York flight," Alex ordered, as they bustled past dozens of boarding areas.

"What time is their flight again?" George asked.

Meredith remained silent.

"She's awfully quiet," George spoke softly, directing his comment towards Alex.

"She's paranoid," Alex stated.

"You're pathetic; let's just find Derek."

"Meredith, why are you being so mute?" Alex asked.

"Leave her alone!" George shouted.

"Okay, don't go all defensive on me..."

Meredith's labored breaths broke the newfound silence, "I don't think I can walk any longer..."

"You've got to be kidding me," Alex muttered. "We came all this way for you, and now you can't even _walk_? What are we going to do...?"

George stopped, thinking, "Let's carry her."

Alex laughed, "Great, cause more of a scene... sounds good to me!"

"I thought you liked attention?"

"Of course, just not... god, never mind," Alex finished, scooping a drowsy Meredith into his arms.

They set out again, George advancing to the front, while Alex carried Meredith behind him.

George glanced back, "You okay, Meredith?"

"She's fine, George. _Just find the flight before he leaves_!" Alex yelled, hoisting Meredith higher.

George pointed frantically, "There! New York, 10:30! Hurry, I don't think we have much time..."

"Really," Alex sarcastically replied.

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Derek stifled a yawn as he watched Addison briskly showing their boarding passes to the attendant. His mind was being swarmed with images of Meredith, memories of Meredith... Meredith. He could picture her porcelain face right after waking up from an eventful night, his arms wrapped around her waist as if claiming that she was **_his_**. How was he ever going to let those feelings go? How was he going to recover after experiencing the painful process of leaving his soul mate? How was he going to live again?

"_Derek_," Addison sang, beckoning him to follow her into the passage.

He turned around one last time, surveying the Seattle airport. Sure, it wasn't as if he was looking at a place that held very many memories, but for some reason, he felt like he was taking one last glance at everything and _everyone_ that had been part of his life. His new life. The life that he wished he could hold onto forever, and now had to make disappear, like a classic magic trick.

Except there was no magic. Because if there was, then he would have vanished from that very spot and reappeared next to Meredith, wherever she was.

"You coming or not? The plane isn't going to wait, you know," Addison shouted as she continued to walk faster, her high heels making a deadened clank against the carpeted hallway.

Derek trailed behind, like a reluctant dog. Out of nowhere, he heard a quiet shout,

"Derek!"

Instantaneously, his head dislocated from his neck, trying endlessly to turn back towards the entrance.

"Derek, wait!" the voice cried again, desperation peaking.

It almost sounded like... no, that couldn't be. His mind was playing games with him again.

"I'm done waiting," Derek whispered to himself, and his footsteps echoed throughout the passage, steadily becoming softer as he walked farther away from the one person he was trying to find.

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"No. He can't leave," she uttered. "He **_can't_**."

"Uhh, I think he just did," Alex commented.

"Shut up! God, would it kill you to keep your damn mouth shut for more than a minute?" George retaliated.

"Ohhh, George finally becomes a man! What's next, gonna take a punch at me?" Alex snickered.

"I'm thinking about it."

Alex smiled, "Well, you keep on thinking about it. **_Meanwhile_**, I'm going to go help Meredith, which is what a _good_ friend would do."

George hesitated as he watched Alex turn and accompany Meredith who was huddling alone on a bench.

"God, I hate him," George muttered, then went to join them.

As he journeyed over, his eyes continued to burn like a pair of pistols, and it looked like any second, the triggers were about to release.

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Hinges groaned against metal framework as Izzie gradually opened the front door. Cristina stood, waiting impatiently, with Burke still as a statue beside her.

"Cristina, thank god you're here," Izzie gasped.

The pair made their way inside the house, dropping their coats onto the rack.

"We came as soon as possible," Cristina explained. "Would've been here sooner, but listening to George's message delayed us a little. Trying to _understand it_ took even longer…"

Burke spoke up, "Yea, where is O' Malley anyway?"

"Car, airport… who knows by now," Callie answered, walking into the entryway.

"Oh, Callie. Nice to see you," Cristina forced a smile.

"Cristina, Doctor Burke," Callie nodded.

Stillness ensued, while the apprehension grew steadily by the second. It seemed as if everyone knew something, but was too afraid to open their mouth, incase the secrets began spill. They all had something to hide.

When the clock struck 10:30, and the bell began to ding, Izzie lost her edge,

"Derek's leaving for New York tonight!"

"Are you kidding? We have to do something!" Cristina yelled.

Burke sighed, "Always finds a way to ruin my plans. Sheppard always comes _first_..."

"Well, I'm **_terribly sorry_** that we don't have time for your _plans_ right now, Burke," Cristina quarreled.

"Then I guess you wouldn't care to know that I was _planning_ on giving you a _proposal_ tonight, would you?" Burke shouted, instantly regretting what he had let slip.

"_Oh my god_," both Cristina and Izzie breathed.

"Burke, how did you… when did you…?" Cristina began.

"Damnit, I was going to surprise you," he cursed, raking his good hand through his hair.

"Okay, now is not the time. You guys can talk about this later," Izzie ordered. "We have more important things to deal with, like Meredith."

"What about Meredith? Maybe you wouldn't mind telling us what's going on here?" Cristina barked.

"She's pregnant, for starters," Callie said off-hand.

Cristina's nostrils flared with anger, "**What did you say**?"

"**_Callie_**!" Izzie roared, her face dangerously close to the other woman's. "This was supposed to stay a _secret_…"

Callie shrugged, "Everyone else was letting things slip. Besides, it was bound to come out sooner or later…"

"_So_, Grey's pregnant. That complicates things a bit," Burke said.

"**A bit**?" Cristina replied, "**_A bit_**? Ughh, I swear to God when I get my hands on that man, he is going to be hanging from the roof of Seattle Grace!"

"Isn't he leaving for New York right about now?" Callie stated.

"Fine. He'll be hanging off of the Empire State Building, happy?"

"Okay, I think that we should all sit down and think about this situation _calmly_ and _rationally_," Burke suggested, emphasizing this to Cristina.

"_Sit down_, Burke? There is no time for _sitting_, there is barely enough time for standing around and arguing! I am sick of listening to you all with your 'let's have a chat about the many problems we are currently experiencing in life' crap! We need to do something, **now**!" Cristina demanded.

"Hey, is she okay? Her eye is kinda twitching…" Callie whispered to Izzie.

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George held a sobbing Meredith in his arms, while Alex cradled her head. Passerbies were watching intently, but the three honestly didn't care. They had come all this way for nothing.

"I c-can't believe he act-tualy left," Meredith managed between broken cries.

"Bastard!" Alex yelled in frustration.

A man stopped and looked him square in the eye.

"Sorry, not you, sir," Alex mumbled.

For a split second, Meredith almost suppressed a laugh, but before long her face returned to its solemn, forlorn expression.

"Hey, you still haven't explained why you were so upset earlier," George said.

"I think it was pretty obvious, George," Alex stated. "She's upset because McDreamy is going to New York to reassess his life with the 'She-Sheppard'. He's finally out of her life."

"Umm hmm," Meredith mumbled incoherently. "He's gone."

"Well, Mere, you know that we'll all be here to help you through this. It's gonna be tough for a while, but… we're your family," George reassured her.

"No one c-can help me now," she sobbed, tears leaking onto the plastic bench.

"Don't say that, Meredith," Alex tried to console, "You're a strong person, and I know that you can handle this."

"Wow, Alex. Nice words," George smiled.

"Shut it, Bambi. Don't make me sound like a poet or anything."

With a team effort, they struggled to pull Meredith off of the bench which she was hopelessly clinging onto, and finally managed to escort her out of the airport.

Alex cast a glance down into her blue-green eyes, which were still swimming with unshed tears. The Meredith that he saw was unlike any other he had seen. She was broken. _Demolished_. Her heart was shattered, her fragile mind had convulsed, and her body trembled uncontrollably. And he was sure that no surgery, or comforting words could fix or repair her. She had obviously gone beyond the point of no return, but Alex couldn't figure out why…

And Alex didn't like the feeling of not knowing something.

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**sorry for taking such a long time to update... it takes a while to write each chapter, considering i only have about 15-20 minutes a day to contribute. plus, i like to have each chapter equal an estimated 2,000 words, so that slows me down a lot. anyway, please do me a HUGE favor and click that purple button... you know you want to wink wink**


	3. The Fire Fades Away

Other Side of the World:.

Disclaimer:. Shonda Rhimes is my God.

Summary:. Even when you feel like the world around you is being turned upside down, you wait for something to get better. You pray that you'll be granted a second chance, or the ability to turn back time. And when the worst happens, you deal with it. Because no matter what, life goes on.

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Twelve grieving eyes summoned one dispirited girl inside of an eerily silent house.

Two strong hands steadied an aching back.

Six teardrops plunged onto the hardwood floor; seven onto the carpeted stairs.

One head of platinum blonde hair bobbed up and down, retreating into the kitchen, where ten nimble fingers began to knead several batches of chocolate chip cookie dough.

One velvet box lay untouched inside the pocket of a black suede jacket.

One hundred fifty six box springs creaked underneath the weight of three drained bodies.

And one invisible sign was draped loosely over Meredith's shoulders, which read:

**Out of Order:**

**Repairs may not be negotiable.**

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After the crowd had dispersed (which included Burke and Alex's departure, Izzie's retreat for the sake of baking, and Callie's return to the over-stuffed couch) George escaped from the gloomy aura of Meredith's bedroom and ventured downstairs.

No words were exchanged as he joined Callie, sinking into the fabricated material of the spacious couch, letting his body slump in exhaustion.

"Tough night, huh?" she asked.

He withdrew an elongated sigh, "Tough morning, too."

"You know, George. You really shouldn't be putting yourself through all of this… this **_crap_**," Callie said bitterly. "I mean, this isn't _your_ problem to deal with. This is _her_ problem, and I honestly think that you are spending too much time traipsing around trying to pick up all of the pieces."

George's mouth dropped in pure shock, "Callie! What are you talking about? I'm just being helpful, an-and considerate… during her time of need. In case you haven't noticed, everyone else is doing the same thing. And if you are still interested in becoming a part of _this family_, then I… well, I suggest you do the same!"

In a fit of rage Callie leapt off of the sofa, "Maybe _I don't want_ to do this! _Maybe_ I want to focus on _my_ life instead of wasting my time with Meredith Grey's many _woes_."

"Why are you… why?" George fumed, now standing.

"Why am I, what? Is it my fault that you're being so, I don't know, _okay_, about all of this? For god's sake, George, she is **_sleeping_** with a **_married_** man. Is that not wrong in your book? Because the last time I checked, it was **_wrong_** in mine," Callie spat at George's stunned face.

"First of all, she is my friend. And second, she **_slept_** with a married man. Believe me, I would know if she was doing this thing on a regular basis," he confirmed.

Callie raved, "George, face it! You wouldn't even have _known_ about Meredith and 'McDreamy' if I hadn't _told_ you. Come on, a real 'friend' would have told you that. She's keeping things from you. **Big things**. How can you constantly defend her?"

"I just don't get it. It's like you want me to, to- hate her or something…"

"_You don't get it_!"

"No!" George screamed.

Callie let several tears slither down her flustered cheeks, "**_I want you to stop loving her_**!"

With that, she rapidly turned and closed the door, almost causing it to fly from its hinges

When he was sure that no one was near, George leaned heavily against the door and whispered, "_So do I_…"

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Turbulence, turbulence, and **_more_** turbulence. An ear-splitting headache, an annoying, chirpy voice that pierced the tranquil environment every few minutes, and **way too many **bags of airplane peanuts and pretzels.

Sounds fun, doesn't it?

Well, if _fun_ had a double-meaning which included torture, fury, and misery, then that's **_exactly_** what could describe Derek Sheppard's flight to New York.

With a mind of its own, Derek's finger maneuvered itself to the 'Maid' button on the side of his armrest. He soaked up the feeling of peace that had silently arrived since Addison wasn't talking. Soon, an attendant arrived,

"Sir, you rang?" she said, plastering a painfully fake smile onto her face.

"Yes," Derek shifted in his seat. "Another bag of… do you possibly have anything to eat other than peanuts or pretzels?"

She thoughtfully paused, "Why, I believe that we have some breakfast crackers left from the earlier flight. Will that do?"

"Sure."

"Back in a minute," she replied, jetting off to the back of the plane.

Addison sighed, "Another bag, Derek? Seriously, you're going to get sick…"

"I'm already sick," he groaned. "And if I feel like making myself even _more sick_, then that's what I'll do."

"Rough flight, huh?" she questioned, looking concerned.

"Rough life," he muttered, resting his chin in the palm of his hand.

Addison looked royally pissed for a second, but then spoke in her sleek voice, "Well, at least we have beautiful New York to look forward to, right? I mean the shopping, the entertainment, and the scenery. It's flawless, isn't it? God, we've been away for too long, _much too long_…"

Derek shrugged, "I liked Seattle."

"Yes, Derek. It _was _nice… for a change. But, New York is our home; it's where we belong."

"What if I said I belonged in Seattle?"

"Umm... I'd say that's your opinion," she commented, desperately trying to keep a good manner, "And that I think you're wrong."

Derek didn't have anything to say. The flight attendant delivered the breakfast crackers, and then continued helping other passengers.

"It's the ferryboats, isn't it? And the trailer? The frigging trailer; oh, and of course, the wild trout…"

"What about them?"

Addison rolled her eyes, "That's why you like Seattle so much."

"I have other reasons," Derek answered, nibbling on a cracker.

Her eyes hardened into stone, "Let's change the topic, shall we? Back to New York… I'm sure that Dr. Harksling is going to be delighted that we're back, considering we were the damn best doctors he's ever worked with. And Cindy's been meaning to call me for weeks now; I'm sure she'll want to catch up sometime. Maybe at Rossique's, you know, that classy little…"

"Addison, can you **please** stop talking," Derek snapped.

"Okay, so much for a good conversation."

"And take these." Derek shoved the crackers into her hands. "They're disgusting."

"Oh, _thanks_ Derek," Addison said, throwing the crackers onto her tray.

"No problem. I'm going to sleep," he yawned.

While Addison seemed to be busy reading the crackers' nutrition label, Derek reclined in his highly uncomfortable seat, grabbing his small pillow and wrapping his arms tightly around it. All he could do was pretend that the spastic jolts of the airplane were slowly rocking him into a gentle slumber, when, in fact, he was actually imagining that it was Meredith's tiny body that he was holding in his tired arms.

Sleep wouldn't come, until he stopped pretending.

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"Meredith?" George whispered, letting his voice trail into the humid, tear-soaked room. "You want a drink or anything?"

His only reply was a muffled, choking sob.

"Sick," George turned to look at Alex, "She sounds sick, doesn't she?"

Alex smirked, "Probably dehydrated from all of the insane crying she's been doing for the past…" he checked his watch, "Hour and a half."

George sprang up from the bed, "That's it! I'm going downstairs and getting some water. I'll be back in a few…"

"Oh, while you're down there, grab a couple beers and some chips, okay?" Alex suggested. "I have a feeling we're gonna be campin' out here for a while."

"I-I don't run a service," George retaliated. "But, I guess you're right."

The door creaked shut.

Then, it was just Alex, left alone with… Meredith. Well, I guess that's what you would call the heap of tangled sheets that was rising up and down frantically on the bed.

Yawning, Alex rose from his seat in the corner of the room and trudged over to Meredith's little 'habitat'. He slumped onto the bed, weighing the mattress down for a brief moment.

"So, Grey. What is it that you're not telling me?"

The rolled up mattress-ball moved for a second.

"Come on, out with it," Alex ordered, no sympathy whatsoever in his voice. "There's something more to this twisted, pathetic love story of yours."

Dirty blonde hair poked out from underneath the sheets, later joined by a pair of puffy, moist eyes and a small frown.

"Why ar-are you here?"

Alex smiled, "Way to answer the question."

She sniffled again, "N-no, I just want t-to understand. You've b-been here with me, and I-I just don't get i-it…"

Sighing, Alex scooted closer to her, "Okay, so I really don't feel like being all _sappy_ and _supportive_ here, but… I guess I understand what you're going through, on some level."

"Really, d-do you?" Meredith sarcastically replied.

"I said '**on some level**'."

For the first time in hours, he saw a glimmer of a smile appear on her face.

"See, I grew up in a family similar to yours. And when I use the word _family_, I use it **_very loosely_**. Sure, I had a mom and a dad like everyone else, but believe me… we were about as dysfunctional as it gets. Dad was always hammered and mad, mom was constantly nagging me; I was just stuck there, watching _him_ torture _her_, and letting _them_ torture _me_. I felt torn between my 'family' and myself."

Meredith sighed, "I feel torn."

"Yea, I know ya do. But, if you wait, it'll pass; 'cause you've got a whole lotta people who are rooting for you," he finished.

"Are you one of 'em?" Meredith asked, timidly.

"I'm here, aren't I?"

She snuggled back into the comforter, "Yea, you are."

They waited for awhile, neither one saying a word, because the initial shock hadn't worn off quite yet. Alex and Meredith had created some sort of _bond_, and both were letting that fact sink in for the time being.

"So," Alex finally continued. "I'm waiting."

"For what," Meredith groaned.

"Your big secret."

"Haven't you heard enough of my secrets for one day?" she chuckled.

Alex just stared at Meredith, letting her know that he was serious.

"Please, Alex," her eyes began to well. "Don't make me tell you."

"Tell me what?"

She breathed in and out slowly, "That I'm pregnant."

Glass met the hardwood floor, shattering down and piercing the newfound silence. Beer spilled everywhere, like an uncontrollable flood, and bags of chips lay crumpled on the floor.

There at the door was George.

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Izzie's eyes shot to the ceiling, after hearing an unmistakable clash.

It had to be George.

Her pink, fuzzy slippers scuffed across the dangerously slick floor, hurrying to make it upstairs.

Huffing and puffing, similar to an old woman with an extremely bad case of asthma, she finally arrived at the scene of the crime.

There was George, standing in a mannequin-like form at the doorway, bottles of beer smashed at his feet. Potato chips and other snacks scattered around his stock still feet.

_When will the man learn not to carry so much?_ She wondered.

Exhaling tiredly, Izzie spoke, "George, the next time you're planning on bringing half of the kitchen upstairs, let me know, okay? I'm really getting sick and tired of picking up **_your_**…"

_Something isn't right…_ Izzie noticed, taking in the expressions on the three faces that surrounded her.

Alex was in deep thought. That wasn't like him.

Meredith's eyes were covered by her trembling hands, which were cradling her face.

And George was staring at Meredith with a look that was an odd combination of bewilderment, anger, and grief.

Clearing her throat, Izzie stumbled, "I- uh… Did I miss something here?"

"Well, _apparently_ you're not the **_only_** one who's _missed_ something recently…" Alex muttered, casting a pitiful look at Meredith.

The confusion on Izzie's face was soon replaced with a spark of realization.

"Oh."

"Yea," Alex said.

"You know?"

"Y-yes, we know," George stuttered, finally breaking free of his trance. "But, wait! How do you know?"

"I-I, I mean… well, you see," Izzie began to explain.

"Stop talking about me like I'm **invisible**!"

Everyone looked at Meredith who was now sitting upright, her eyes glazed with fury.

"You're not invisible, Meredith," Izzie said in a comforting voice.

George solemnly joined her on the bed, and held her hand in his, "I'm really, s-sorry this happened to you."

"Thanks, George," she gave him a weak smile. "But, I don't need your pity."

"No, I wasn't…"

"It's really okay," Meredith cut him off. "I mean, I'm the dirty mistress, right? The whore, the detested husband-stealer… should have seen it coming. I guess I need a dose of my own medicine, that's all."

"No, Mere," Izzie whispered, completing the group as she sat next to Alex. "Don't think about it like that. This isn't supposed to be a punishment… it-it's supposed to be a _blessing_."

"Well, I don't think it's much of a _blessing_ if the guy who was a part of it is gone," she mumbled, tears spilling onto her wrinkled shirt.

"Sheppard? Who's to say he's really gone for good?" Alex said. "Come on, he's _hopelessly_ in love with you… how long do you think he's going to stay away?"

"Alex!" George exclaimed. "Don't give her false hope like that!"

"What, I'm just saying…"

"Well, stop! If I'm going to even _attempt _to handle this, then I really don't need any of you saying his goddamn name around me," Meredith shouted.

"Jeez! Hormones are already getting to you."

"Alex, maybe you could try and help here?" Izzie suggested.

"Hey," he defended. "I've already done my 'good deed' for the day. In fact, before you came in, I was actually having a heart-to-heart with Grey."

"Oh, well in that case, let's all give you a round of applause," Izzie snapped. "What's next, Alex? The Nobel Peace Prize?"

"Guys, just drop it, **_seriously_**," George yelled, causing both Alex and Izzie to tense with frustration. "Meredith needs us right now."

"Actually, I don't need anything right now," Meredith stated. "I just want to be alone."

"Mere, are you sure?" George persisted.

"Yes, just go, **_please_**."

They walked out in single-file, like a group of devoted fans leaving from a very disappointing concert.

All that could be heard was the rustling of the bed sheets as Meredith curled into a tiny ball in the center of her bed. Instinctively, she reached out for her pillow, and then let it knead into the center of her stomach, as she held on tight. It felt like she was drowning in an icy, sinister sea, and that pillow was her lifesaver.

Oh, how she wished that it was Derek that she clung to for dear life.

She frowned, suddenly remembering that he was never coming back.

All of the pent up anger and disappointment that she had been struggling to keep inside was unleashed as she violently threw the pillow to the other side of the room, as far away from herself as possible.

The only way that she could do this was to forget.

Forget Derek, and everything that came along with him.

Forget ferryboats, elevators, trailers, Muesli cereal, Tiger Mountain Trail, neurology…

Forget being in love.

-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!

Derek's cell phone vibrated four times, as it remained abandoned inside of his packed duffle bag.

Meredith's wavering fingers dialed Derek's cell number four times simultaneously.

Derek never picked up his phone.

Meredith couldn't stop hanging up hers.

While Derek slept in a dreadfully uncomfortable manner, all he could dream about was the memory of Meredith's graceful, delicate face. He would give anything to be able to remember every detail that laced her body.

As Meredith silently leaned against her headboard, all she could do was worry about what would become of her life. She would give anything to be able to forget Derek; to erase the slight hopefulness that she kept tucked in the corner of her mind, telling her that one day, he might come back for her.

"Derek, we're landing? You awake?" Addison whispered, gently nudging him.

_God, I can't believe this really happened_, he thought. _I actually left Seattle… I left **her**. Well, come on, Derek. Did you really think that the plane was going to turn around mid-flight and head back for no apparent reason? _He sighed. _Okay, so maybe I **did**._

"Ahh," Addison smiled, inhaling loudly. "I can already smell New York."

"I think that's just the scented air filter underneath my seat," Derek grumbled.

"No, I can just sense the aroma, that's all. You know?"

"I know that we're currently inside of an _airplane_, so you can't possibly smell something that's on the outside of it," Derek smirked. "Plus, I don't think you can smell a state…"

"_Derek_…"

"No, really, it's fine. Maybe you're just a tad bit insane, that's all."

"**_Derek_**…" Addison complained.

"In that case, I may have to schedule a flight back to Seattle. 'Cause I wouldn't really feel comfortable living with a mentally unstable person."

Addison sighed, "Derek, you're not getting out of this, okay? We came back to New York to focus on fixing our marriage, and that's _exactly_ what we're going to do."

_Damnit, how am I every going to get out of this? I swear to myself, I will find a way back to Meredith. I **will** go back for her._

Back in Seattle, Meredith Grey sat helplessly on her bed, her tear ducts soar from hours of overuse. He was never going to come back.

Derek Sheppard, the man who had taken her heart, was gone.

And being the incredible asshole that he was, had forgotten to give it back to her before he left.

All she knew now was that she was alone, and that Derek was far, **far** away.

He was practically on the other side of the world.

-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!-!


End file.
